Today Jessica talks with Nicole Hope, author of "Calm Is Power," about ADHD, stress, and the surprising power of learning to listen to the body.
Nicole shares how years of anxiety, overwork, and physical burnout eventually led her to a deeper understanding of nervous system regulation, behavior, and what true calm can actually look like.
This conversation also explores the connection between body awareness and decision-making, the overlap between ADHD and stress, and why self-knowledge can create more choice, clarity, and ease in everyday life.
Inside this episode:
- How Nicole moved from overwhelm into a deeper understanding of her body
- Why stress often shows up physically before it becomes obvious mentally
- What “behavior intelligence” means and why it matters
- How body awareness can improve relationships and daily decision-making
- Why the morning is the best time to check in with your nervous system
- How ADHD brains benefit from simple, accessible practices instead of pressure
- Why pause, not perfection, is the foundation of real change
This conversation is a powerful reminder that calm isn’t about eliminating stress or getting everything “right”—it’s about learning to notice what’s happening in your body and creating a little more space to choose what comes next. Nicole’s insights offer a practical, compassionate way to better understand ourselves, especially for ADHD brains that can spend so much time pushing through. Sometimes the most powerful thing we can do isn’t to try harder—it’s to pause, listen, and pay attention.
Learn more about Nicole and her work
Read "Calm Is Power"*
Nicole on LinkedIn, Instagram and Facebook
Your Lab Kit:
- Morning body check in.
- Hit the 'pause' button.
- Track the signal.
*This link is to my Amazon store, which might pay me a small commission without changing your price. You can also find it anywhere you like to buy books!
----------------------------------------------------------------------
The ADHD Alchemy Podcast is where bright, sensitive women finally stop masking and start thriving—with clarity, confidence, and shameless potential.
We’re sharing real stories that help us turn friction into flow, liability into leverage, and resistance into rhythm. If your brain feels like a thousand tabs are open and five radio stations are playing at once, you’re in the right place!
I’m Jessica Covington and I’ve always had a slightly different way of doing things, including ADHD. In my work, we leverage the body-mind connection to harness the beautiful potential you’ve always known is there but haven’t been able to use. My guests and I are here to help you quiet the shame, trust yourself again, and create a life that feels calm, focused, and fully yours.
These are the stories of women like us: the ones who think differently; who’ve tried every damn system, planner, and app but nothing sticks; who’ve spent years and all their energy trying to seem "normal"; and who are finally ready to see ADHD without shame, guilt, or apology.
Stick with us here to remember you are NOT a failure, you’re not alone in the chaos, and you are certainly not deficient or disordered.
Apply to be a guest and share your own story here.
Learn more at fit-ology.com.
Join the conversation – it’s in our own little space away from algorithms, and it’s free!
Co-work with us in Focus Labs – Tuesdays at 1pm eastern. Free and open to any Fancy Brain (but we need your registration to attend).
Grab your copy of “Distracted to Done”
Help yourself to the “Move Your Body - Move Your Mind Map”
Learn more about ADHD Alchemy Coaching (private and group pathways are open now)
On the socials (sporadically!):
Facebook Page
Fancy Brains Facebook Group
Jessica on LinkedIn
Instagram
Blog on Medium
Music credit goes to my son, TAZZFANTO, who composed and produced this song just for us.
This podcast is for educational and entertainment purposes; always check with your healthcare provider before making changes to diet, exercise and mental health care. This episode may contain affiliate links and mentions; we are grateful for your support.
